Nov 15 2010

It’s time to add a third category of bikers

I may never have really given the issue of trail categories a second thought if I hadn’t started writing and publishing trail descriptions, guides, and reviews. In fact, I didn’t even really need to ponder the category issue on my own trailsnet website or trails network blog because the sites specialize in multi-use, multi-user trails that are  used by people of all ages and abilities.
Just because you’re on a bike in the
mountains, doesn’t mean you’re
mountain biking.
However, when I started writing trail guides and reviews for other companies/websites/ blogs, I was asked to classify the trails as either mountain bike or road bike. That quickly became frustrating, because most of the trails I rode fell into neither of those categories. They definitely were not on the road, because I avoid road-riding whenever possible. And mountain biking is what I used to do, back when I was childless, immortal, and invincible… oh yeah, and when I spent a lot more time in the mountains. But alas (or thank goodness, depending on your perspective) those days are behind me.
Then I started looking for trails, that were family friendly, knee friendly, and, well, just plain friendly. That’s when I discovered rail trails and other recreational trails that weren’t necessarily mountain bike trails. These trails were scenic, they were fun, they allowed riders to pull tagalongs and strollers. And life was good…
Except for two problems. First, the trails were hard to find because there weren’t any websites for them; and two, there was no official category for this type of biking. And there still isn’t. As you can see, it isn’t mountain biking because it often isn’t in the mountains and it isn’t the crazy, roller-coasterish type biking that is associated with mountain biking. And (my favorite part) it isn’t done on the roads.
So my solution is apolitical. I say we just call it trail biking. It’s not only for the gonzo, speed-demon, over-the-top daredevils (although it does not necessarily exclude them) that are drawn to mountain biking. It can be practiced in any part of the country by seniors, youth, parents, toddlers in bike trailers, athletes, non-athletes, commuters, recreationalists… the list goes on.
It is a very inclusive type of biking that encourages family togetherness, exercise, ecotravel, energy conservation and so on.
I think that by adding the category of trail biking, it would be more inviting and less intimidating to those, like me, who just like to venture forth on our bikes for a relaxing jaunt on the trail, whether that trail is a half mile or 150 miles.
I know that’s a bit of a ramble, but I’m on a roll. It’s time to open up biking to everyone.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/11/15/its-time-to-add-a-third-category-of-bikers/

Nov 15 2010

A trail guide for Rockingham Recreational Trail in New Hampshire is now available on Everytrail

Hurry, hurry, read all about it!!

There’s finally a trail guide available for New Hampshire’s Rockingham Recreational Trail.

Rockingham Recreational Trail
in New Hampshire

Of course the trailsnet guide for the Rockingham trail has been available for almost a year now, but now there’s an Everytrail interactive trail guide you can download right to your smart phone (such as Android & iPhone).

This will allow you to pack everything you need to know about the trail (directions to trail, parking, food, distance/length, trail map, pictures, points of interest, etc.)

If you haven’t experienced one of these yet, give it a try using the Rockingham rec trail guide.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/11/15/a-trail-guide-for-rockingham-recreational-trail-in-new-hampshire-is-now-available-on-everytrail/

Nov 14 2010

Bicycle Haikus

The Yen of bicycling
(or something like that)

   Bicycling is zenlike
Until a car sideswipes you
  That’s why I like trails

Okay, maybe I should stick to prose. But here is the natural progression of life:

  • Man discovers bikes.
  • Man rides bikes.
  • Man writes Haikus about bikes.
It’s inevitable. No trend is complete until there is a haiku page dedicated to it.
So here it is: a haiku page for bicycling. Enjoy. There’s even a haiku that links bicycles w/ Queen. (The Freddy Mercury one, not the Elizabeth one.)
In addition, I added the Bike Reader website to our blogroll on the left. I love it. More on that later.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/11/14/bicycle-haikus/

Nov 13 2010

Rails to Trails Conservancy features Santa Fe Trail in Winter Magazine

Aahh, this month’s Rails to Trails magazine brought back fond memories of my time spent pedaling my bike on the Santa Fe Rail Trail in Santa Fe, New Mexico.


As I wrote about in an earlier blog, I loved the ease with which I could ride the trail in Santa Fe, then ride the rail to Albuquerque. It brought the whole rail-trail experience full circle.

I hitched a ride from Boulder, CO to Santa Fe. Well I didn’t literally hitch a ride since it was my own car and my dad drove it, but…

Anyway, I spent the night in Santa Fe, then rode the Santa Fe Rail Trail the next day. It didn’t take me long to figure out that it wasn’t a typical rail trail. First, it resembled a dirt bike trail more than a typical flat rail trail. Second, it was less of a rail to trail than a rail beside trail since it ran beside an active railroad track the entire way.

I had a great time on the trail, but the experience that stuck out the most for me was loading my bike on the Rail Runner Express and riding smack-dab through Native American reservations to Albuquerque. It was as if the whole rail/trail experience came full circle. It started with the Santa Fe Railroad, then a bike trail was built, and now the two are connected with a trail beside a rail and a railroad trip to Albuquerque. Of course, then I flew home, but airplanes have no place in this particular circle of recreation story.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/11/13/rails-to-trails-conservancy-features-santa-fe-trail-in-winter-magazine/

Nov 12 2010

People For Bikes Focuses on Bicycling Safety & Children’s Bike Programs

Sign the pledge to make bicycling better in America

Peopleforbikes.org is a movement created by the Bikes Belong Foundation – the national nonprofit focused on bicycling safety and children’s bike programs. The goal of peopleforbikes.org is to unite one million voices to improve bicycling in the United States by asking people to sign a pledge in support of biking. Peopleforbikes.org aims to make our country a better place to ride by sending a unified message to our elected leaders, the media, and the public that bicycling is important and should be promoted. 
peopleforbikes.org
More than 150,000 people, including Lance Armstrong, Gary Fisher, and bike-friendly Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak have already signed the pledge since the campaign’s launch last spring. Please take a moment to visit the website and add your name today. It is quick, easy, and free, and it will help the future of biking. All they need is your name:
www.peopleforbikes.org.
Whatever your background, whatever your bike, and wherever you ride – everyone has a stake in building more bike lanes and trails, securing more funding, and influencing local and national policies to better support bicycling. Please sign the pledge today, and share peopleforbikes.org with your fellow riders.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/11/12/people-for-bikes-focuses-on-bicycling-safety-childrens-bike-programs/

Nov 11 2010

Biking Buddies: Barry sends us another blog from Japan

We are fortunate to, once again, have Barry send us a post from the land of the rising sun. It is always nice to see the universal love for biking and fellow bikers knows no political or geographic boundaries. 


Enjoy!!


Friends,


   I hold the same regard for my friends, as I do for this piece-of-rock (Planet Earth) we live on – respect and appreciation. And, like my feelings for this planet, I don’t take them for granted, abuse them or neglect them. My very-best friend is the person who placed a wedding ring on my finger back in 2000.

   A few years ago I was invited to join a group of cyclists on a sightseeing trip into Kyoto City. I had met and spoken to some of these guys before – they hangout at the same bike-shop where I take my bike for any maintenance – but this was the first of many outings I would join them on.
   Let me tell you all about them. They are all retired – average age would be about 70. They all have a road-bike and a mountain-bike – and top-of-the-line bikes too. They meet 6-days per week, (Thursday is mountain-biking day) at the same place (Yawata Ohashi) and at the same time (9am). Then after a brief chat they head-off to a predetermined location. Some days they bike just a short distance, find a café and, after a brew and a bite-to-eat, head home. On a big day they will clock-up to a 100km, taking their lunch with them. They are very supportive of each other – anyone that is struggling or slower than the others, will always be accompanied. They are very social – sometimes stopping to help fill a baseball team if they are short of players. But man, are they fit – on a return leg of a trip, I was second behind the leader and, for the 8km leg of this segment, I clocked this guy averaging between 20kmph and 22kmph. He is the oldest of the group at 85.
   But cycling isn’t their only reason for gathering. They regularly meet during April to celebrate “Hanami”. Then there are the regular karaoke sessions (one of my favorites), and (by far my favorite) the all-day train-ride through the Kansai Region. They are well organized – someone buys all the food and drink, which we all chip-in to cover the cost.

 
   Well, enough of the introductions, here is a snapshot of the group.
This is the first trip I did with the guys. It was the days leading up to the “Gion Festival” in Kyoto City. Yamaboko Floats, like the one in the background, are towed through the streets of downtown Kyoto by dozens of devotees. The festival is held on July 17th each year.
 
This is “Hanami”. It’s an annual event held during “Cherry Blossom” season (April/May, depending on when the Sakura bloom). It’s one of my favorite Japanese traditions…..
 
……the reason being, it’s a great excuse for a beer-drinking session (we have another term for this, but I don’t think Kevin would appreciate me using it). Once the ‘season has been declared open, you have about a week to celebrate “Hanami” before the rains come and wash the petals off the trees.
 
Pon-Pon Yama (Mount Pon-Pon). Always a popular destination for hikers and bikers (actually bikers aren’t allowed on this track).
The guy on the right is 85 (I mentioned him earlier). Hasutane-san, on the left, owns the “Bamboo Lotus” bike shop. And, in the middle, is Fujiwara-san. He is an awesome guy, and I have a huge respect for him.
 
This was a great trip through a very-historical part of Kyoto Prefecture (check-out my “Everytrail Guide – Pilgrimage to Sekibutsu”).
 
Two ears ago I was invited to join their “Weekend in Shiga” trip. It was an overnight camp with three rides through some spectacular Autumn scenery. 

We returned (or tried to) to the same location a
few months later in Winter. We were only able to progress about a kilometer before calling it a day.
 
And, what better way to end the day, with a good long soak in an Onsen.
   I could take-up many pages with my photos and stories of these guys. But I think you get the idea of what they are all about. For me, whatever the occasion, I always return home full of appreciation, respect, and gratitude for having had the opportunity to have had spent time with these “Friends”.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/11/11/biking-buddies-barry-sends-us-another-blog-from-japan/